Winding traverse apparatus

ABSTRACT

A traverse apparatus for guiding linear product or the like in winding the product on a reel, which traverse apparatus includes an arm pivotally carried by a traverser so as to extend toward the reel, and a product-engaging guide member pivotally connected to the extended free end of the arm. The guide member engages the product at the point where the product comes in touch with the drum portion of the reel, and the longitudinal axis of the guide member is kept in parallel with the longitudinal direction of that portion of the product which engages the guide member, so that the longitudinal axial direction of the guide member and the longitudinal direction of the arm define an angle theta therebetween. The traverser is controlled in such a manner that the aforesaid angle theta is kept constant by moving the traverser in parallel with the axis of rotation of the reel.

United States Patent 11 1 1111 3,833,184

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Hara et al. Sept. 3, 1974 [54] WINDING TRAVERSE APPARATUS FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS lnvemorsi Ryoichi Kunio Kllmagai, both 836,411 6/1960 Great Britain 242/l58.4 R

of sbiharailaiaa 111 9 Fujisawa of Japan Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath [73] Assignee: The Furukawa Electric Company Limited, Tokyo, Japan [57] ABSTRACT [22] Flled: 1972 A traverse apparatus for guiding linear product or the 21] 1 31 ,000 like in winding the product on a reel, which traverse apparatus includes an arm pivotally carried by a traverser so as to extend toward the reel, and a productengaging guide member pivotally connected to the ex- Dec. 18, 1971 Japan 46-10304 tended free end of the arm The guide member engages the product at the point where the product [52] US. Cl. 242/158 R, 242/1571 om in touch with the drum portion of the reel, and [51] Int. Cl B6511 54/28 the longitudinal axis of the guide member is kept in Field of Search 158-1, parallel with the longitudinal direction of that portion 157-1 of the product which engages the guide member, so

that the longitudinal axial direction of the guide mem- References Cited ber and the longitudinal direction of the arm define an UNITED STATES PATENTS angle 6 therebetween. The traverser is controlled in 1,485,425 3 1924 Myette 242/l58.4 R Such a manner that the aid angle 6 is kept con- 2 243 524 5 1941 Gaza stant by moving the traverser in parallel with the axis 3,152,773 10/1964 Brown of rotation of the reel.

3,319,070 5/1967 Schneider 3,441,235 4/1969 Sperduti 242/l58.4 R 9 Claims, 6 Drawiilg Figures III. II-IIIII WINDING TRAVERSE APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I 1. Field of the Invention:

This invention relates to a winding traverse apparatus for automatically guiding linear product, such as wire, cable, pipe, hose, strip, or the like on the drum portion of a reel or bobbin at a predetermined pitch in an orderly fashion.

2. Description of the Prior Art:

In a known winding traverser for guiding linear product or the like in winding the product on a reel, a feeding screw is disposed in parallel with the axis of rotation of the reel. The feeding screw is rotated at a suitable speed, depending on the revolving speed of the reel, and the traverser threadedly engages the feeding screw. Whereby, the traverser is fed in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the reel at a speed which is related to the reel revolving speed.

Such known winding traverser has a shortcoming in that the linear velocity of the traverser does not necessarily match with the pitch at which the product is wound on the reel, because the distance between the reel and the traverser is fairly large and the product is flexible. Unless the traverser speed matches the winding pitch of the product, it is difficult to neatly and orderly wind the product on the reel. If a traverser is to guide products of different sizes with different degrees of flexiblity, the aforesaid matching between the traversing velocity and the winding pitch of the product becomes more difflcult to achieve.

The conventional winding traverser guides the product in such a manner that the product is wound on a reel while keeping adjacent turns of the product in touch with each other. Unless the length of the drum portion of the reel, taken in the direction of the axis of rotation thereof, is selected to be a multiple of the diameter of the product to be wound thereon, some vacant space is inevitably formed between the flanges of the reel and the product at the ends of the turns. If a second layer of the turns is wound on a first layer having such vacant space between the end of the row or the layer and the reel flange, the second layer is easily loosened and becomes disorderly.

In the case of lead sheath cable, it is preferable to provide suitable spacings between adjacent turns of the cable on the reel, so as to prevent the adjacent lead sheaths from scratching each other. There is no winding traverser which is currently available for such spaced winding of the lead sheathed cable.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to mitigate the aforesaid difficulties of the conventional winding traverser, by providing an improved winding traverse apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventors have found out the fact that orderly winding of the linear product or the like on a reel can be achieved if a turn of the product being wound on the reel is in a certain predetermined angular relation with the preceding turn of the product on the reel. Based on such finding, the inventors have worked out a winding traverse apparatus for guiding linear product or the like in winding the product on a reel, which traverse apparatus includes an arm pivotally carried by a traverser so as to extend toward the reel, and a product-engaging guide member pivotally connected to the extended free end of the arm. The guide member engages the product at the point where the product comes in touch with the drum portion of the reel, and the longitudinal axis of the guide member is kept in parallel with the longitudinal direction of that portion of the product which engages the guide member, so that the longitudinal axial direction of the guide member and the longitudinal direction of the arm define an angle 0 therebetween. The traverser is controlled in such a manner that the aforesaid angle 6 is kept constant by moving the traverser in parallel with the axis of rotation of the reel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a winding traverse apparatus, according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the apparatus, as seen from the left-hand side of FIG. 1 with the left-hand side reel flange removed;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the operative principle of the winding traverse apparatus;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a guide shoe which is used in the winding traverse apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of a few coils of the product which are wound on a reel by using the winding traverse apparatus of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is an electric circuit diagram of a driving unit of the winding traverse apparatus.

Like parts are designated by like numerals and symbols throughout the different figures of the drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a winding traverse apparatus according to the present invention comprises a guide traversing mechanism 4 cooperating with a winding means 1. The winding means 1 includes a reel 2 which is driven by reel-driving rollers 3, 3', The guide traversing mechanism 4 includes a traverser 5 and a rotary disk 6 which is rotatably carried by the traverser 5 by a vertical shaft (not shown). The rotary disk 6 has a pair of brackets 7, 7 and a hydraulic or pneumatic urging cylinder 8 secured thereto. An arm carrier 10 secured to one end of an arm 9 is pivotally connected to the pair of brackets 7, 7' by a pin shaft 11. The urging cylinder 8 has one end connected to the rotary disk 6, as described above, while a piston rod 12 of the urging cylinder 8 is secured to the arm 9 by a pin 13. The free end, or the opposite end to the traverser, of the arm 9 carries a product-engaging guide member 15 which is rotatably connected thereto by a vertical shaft 14. In the illustrated embodiment, the productengaging guide member 15 is made of a guide shoe, as shown in FIG. 4, which has a width p being identical with the winding pitch of the linear product A. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5, the guide shoe 15 has a side wall 16 which is to engage a last wound turn A of the product A and a downwardly open groove 17 with a width d for receiving the product of a diameter d. The groove 17 extends in the longitudinal direction of the guide shoe, so that the longitudinal direction of the product-engaging guide member or the guide shoe l5 coincides with the longitudinal direction of that portion A" of the product A which is just being wound on the reel The traverser 5 further includes a product paying means 18, such as a pair of guide rolls for paying the product A toward the reel 2.

Although the illustrated embodiment uses a guide shoe as the product-engaging guide member 15, the present invention is not restricted to such guide shoe. For instance, pulleys with product-engaging grooves 17 may be used instead of the guide shoe.

The vertical shaft 14 carrying the guide shoe is connected to angle detector 19, for measuring an angle 6 between the longitudinal direction of the arm 9 and the longitudinal direction of the guide shoe 15. The angle detector may be formed by using any suitable conventional means; such as, a potentiometer, a Selsyn device (trademark of General Electric Company), a differential transformer, or an encorder capable of effecting rotating angle detection.

FIG. 6 shows a basic electric circuit diagram of a driving unit of the winding traverse apparatus of the invention. The driving unit 20 is to cause relative movement between the winding means 1 and the guide traversing mechanism 4 of the winding traverse apparatus. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, the aforesaid angle detector 19, which is made of a potentiometer, is incorporated in the driving unit 20. The input terminals 22, 22 of the angle detector 19 are connected to a suitable power source (not shown). A suitable angle setter 21, e.g., another potentiometer, is connected in parallel to the angle detector across the input terminals 22, 22 thereof. The output voltages from the angle detector 19 and the angle setter 21 are supplied to a comparator 23. If the amount of deviation of these output voltages exceeds or becomes smaller than a voltage corresponding to the preselected angle 0,, the comparator 23 delivers a positive or negative output voltage to an amplifier 24, so that the amplified voltage is applied to the gates of a set of silicon controlled rectifiers SCR and SCR The SCR and SCR, are connected to an AC. power source circuit of a reversible motor 25 such that SCR, becomes conductive when the positive voltage is applied to its gate and that SCR, becomes conductive when the negative voltage is applied to its gate. The motor 25 may be a DC. shunt motor and the direction of armature current and hence the direction of rotation is changed by the conduction of the SCR or SCR The shaft of the reversible motor 25 is connected through a rack, for example, to the traverser 5. The winding means 1 is rotated by a constant speed motor (not shown).

FIG. 6 of the drawings shows the basic circuit, without details, which are considered known to those skilled in the art, and which details are shown as for example, in Japanese Patent Publication 9,016/71, published Mar. 6, 1971, Sumitomo Electric Industry Co. Ltd, which publication is incorporated herein by reference.

If an incident angle 0 is defined as the angle between the longitudinal direction of a last wound turn A of the product A and the longitudinal direction of the incoming portion of the product prior to the winding, such angle 0 is represented by the angle between the longitudinal direction of the arm 9 coinciding with the longitudinal direction of the incoming product and the longitudinal direction of the product-engaging guide memher coinciding with the direction of the turn A" being just wound in parallel to the turn A. According to the present invention, this angle 0 is kept constant at a preselected level which is preset on the angle setter 21. This preselected level is determined based on various factors, including the physical properties and dimensions of the product, e.g., material, diameter, hardness, friction coefficient and the like.

In operation, the guide shoe 15 moves along the last wound turn A of the product. FIG. 3 illustrates, in an expanded form, the locus C-C of the product A being wound in parallel to the turn A. Let it be assumed that the aforesaid angle 6 is kept at a preselected level 0, (not shown) at a point P of the locus C-C. The locus C-C varies its radius of curvature at a point P, and when the incoming product reaches this point P, the guide shoe 15 turns in a counterclockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 3. The angle 0 between the guide shoe 15 and the arm 9 is detected by the angle detector 19. If the angle 6 is larger than the preselected angle 6,, then the comparator 23 becomes operated to deliver a positive voltage through the amplifier 24 to SCR, and SCR to make SCR, conductive. Then, the motor 25 is rotated in a forward direction to make the deviated angle equal to the preselected angle 0,. This is performed by moving rightward the traverser 5 with the aid of a rack (not shown) engaged with the traverser 5 to shift the center of rotation of the arm 9 from a point R to another point R, as shown in FIG. 3. If the angle 0 becomes equal to the preselected level 0,, then the motor 25 is stopped. If the linear product A is wound about the right end of the drum 1, then the second layer of the linear product A is begun to be wound and the motor 25 is intermittently operated in a direction opposite to the preceding direction so as to move the turn of the linear product A toward the left. In this case, the angle deviated from the preselected angle 6, is also detected by the angle detector 19 in the manner similar to the above operation described with respect to the forward rotation of the motor 25.

The inventors have found out that, when the product incident angle 6 is maintained at the desired level 6, which is preselected on the basis of the aforesaid various factors, the product A can be automatically wound in an orderly fashion.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrated embodiment. For instance, the reversible motor 25 with SCR sets may be replaced with a suitable on-off control mechanism. The hydraulic or pneumatic urging cylinder 8 may be replaced with a suitable spring, as long as the guide shoe 15 is properly urged to the product A being wound.

As described in the foregoing disclosure, according to the present invention, there is provided an improved winding traverse apparatus, in which a winding means including a rotatingly driven reel 2 cooperates with a guide traversing mechanism 4. The guide traversing mechanism 4 includes a traverser 5, an arm 9 swingably connected to the traverser 5, a product-engaging guide member 15 rotatably connected to the free end of the arm 9 by a vertical shaft and having a width matching with a given pitch of the product turn wound on the reel, an angle detector 19 detecting the angular displacement of the guide member 15 relative to the arm 9, and an optional paying means 18 for paying the product A to the reel by guide rolls or the like. The product-engaging guide member 15 has side walls 16 which slidingly engage last wound turn A of the product and a groove 17 urgingly engaging that portion A of the product A which is just being wound on the reel 2. Thereby, the arm 9 acts to urge the portion A of the product A to the reel 2. A driving unit 20 is formed so as to cause relative movement between the winding means and the traversing mechanism 4 in the direction of the axis of rotation of the reel 2, based on the differuntial between the output from the angle detector 19 and a preset level of the angle. Thereby, the product irlcideut angle 0 is kept at the desired level.

With the aforesaid winding traverse apparatus of the present invention, a suitable pitch of the turns of the product on the reel can be selected, based on the width of the reel 2 and the diameter of the product A, so that the product A can be wound on the reel 2 an orderly fashion by keeping the product incident :lnglefi at the desired level by using the arm 9 and the guide member .15. The orderly turns of the product A may be formed in single layer or two or more layers on the reel 2. Furthermore, suitable spacing will be provided between adjacent turns of the product A, by selecting proper product-engaging guide member with suitable width p thereof. Such spaced winding is particularly desirable for lead sheath cables or the like. The aforesaid control of the product incident angle 0 is effective even when the product A has localized irregular bent portions or crossover portions. Thus, the product incident angle 0 can be easily set at will, based on cable size, cable rigidity, winding velocity or the like. With conventional winding device, it has been necessary to adjust the traverse speed for different cable sizes, but the present inverition eliminates the need of such adjustment and simplifies the winding traverse operation. The urging of the product A to .the reel 2 by the product-engaging guide member 15 prevents undesirable overlapping of the product A, which has been caused by cable waving, tension fluctuation, vibration of the cable, vibration of the reel, traverse sliding of the reel, and the like. Thus, stable and reliable winding of various linear product or the like can be ensured, which covers various insulated cables with different rigidities and frictional coefficients, such as vinyl insulation wire, rubber insulation wire, polyethylene insulation wire, lead sheath cable, aluminum armored cable, iron or steel armored cable and the like.

We claim:

l. A winding traverse apparatus for winding a linear product on a reel, comprising a traverser adapted for movement relative to the reeland in a path parallel to the axis of rotation of the reel, an arm pivotably connected to the traverser, a product-engaging guide member pivotably secured at the free end of said arm and having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the product portion it engages, an angle detector.

mounted on said arm and connected to said guide member and adapted to detect angular displacement of the guide member relative to said arm, an angle setter, a drive unit adapted to impart relative movement between said traverser and said reel, and means to actuate said drive unit in response to change in angular displacement of said guide member from a set position of said angular setter.

2. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said product-engaging guide member is a guide shoe having a side wall engageable with a last Wound turn of the product and a product-engaging groove for, urging a portion of the product being just wound to the reel, the width of the guide shoe taken at right angles to said longitudinal direction thereof being identical "with the pitch of the turns of the producfl on the reel.

3. A winding traverse apparatus according ,to claim 1, wherein said product-engaging guide member consists of one or more pulleys having grooves engageable with portion of the product being just wound.

4. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said angle detector is a potentiometer having a winding secured to the arm and a rotatable contact secured to a vertical shaft so as to slidingly contact at different points of the winding in response to the angular displacement of the guide member.

5. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive unit actuating means consists of a comparator capable of producing an output representing the differential between the output from the angle detector and preset value of the angle setter, a reversible motor, a pair of sets of silicon controlled rectifiers connected in parallel with each other in a power source circuit of the reversible motor, and a wiring. means connecting the output from the comparator to gates of the sets of SCRs.

6. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim- 1, wherein said angle detector is a Selsyn device.

7. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim product to the reel. 

1. A winding traverse apparatus for winding a linear product on a reel, comprising a traverser adapted for movement relative to the reel and in a path parallel to the axis of rotation of the reel, an arm pivotably connected to the traverser, a productengaging guide member pivotably secured at the free end of said arm and having a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the product portion it engages, an angle detector mounted on said arm and connected to said guide member and adapted to detect angular displacement of the guide member relative to said arm, an angle setter, a drive unit adapted to impart relative movement between said traverser and said reel, and means to actuate said drive unit in response to change in angular displacement of said guide member from a set position of said angular setter.
 2. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said product-engaging guide member is a guide shoe having a side wall engageable with a last wound turn of the product and a product-engaging groove for urging a portion of the product being just wound to the reel, the width of the guide shoe taken at right angles to said longitudinal direction thereof being identical with the pitch of the turns of the product on the reel.
 3. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said product-engaging guide member consists of one or more pulleys having grooves engageable with portion of the product being just wound.
 4. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said angle detector is a potentiometer having a winding secured to the arm and a rotatable contact secured to a vertical shaft so as to slidingly contact at different points of the winding in response to the angular displacement of the guide member.
 5. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said drive unit actuating means consists of a comparator capable of producing an output representing the differential betweeN the output from the angle detector and preset value of the angle setter, a reversible motor, a pair of sets of silicon controlled rectifiers connected in parallel with each other in a power source circuit of the reversible motor, and a wiring means connecting the output from the comparator to gates of the sets of SCR''s.
 6. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said angle detector is a Selsyn device.
 7. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said traverser further has a product paying means paying the product to the reel along the arm.
 8. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim 1, including a fluid pressure cylinder inserted between said traverser and said arm, whereby said guide member urges the product to the reel.
 9. A winding traverse apparatus according to claim 1, including a spring inserted between said traverser and said arm, whereby said guide member urges the product to the reel. 